A meeting with the Chancellor of the Ministry of Environment and former Minister of the Interior of Lithuania, Vladislav Kondratovič, took place at Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor and Director of the Vilnius Office, Dzianis Kuchynski, and Advisor on Constitutional Reform and Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, joined the meeting.
The parties discussed issues affecting Belarusians in Lithuania, as well as the environmental situation. They addressed the safety of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant in Astravyets, agreeing on the importance of independent monitoring, the involvement of Belarusian environmental activists, and international oversight of the plant’s safety.
In this context, they also discussed the importance of the annual Chornobyl Way march in Vilnius. It both keeps the memory of the Chornobyl disaster alive and helps draw attention to current nuclear risks, including those associated with the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant.
The sides discussed the recent review of the list of areas in Belarus contaminated following the Chornobyl disaster, including the possible impact on social guarantees for residents of localities that may lose their designated status.
Mr. Kondratovič, Mr. Kuchynski, and Mr. Liabedzka also discussed the participation of Belarusian activists in local election campaigns in Lithuania. Such experience can help Belarusians living in the country better understand the principles of democratic institutions and local government. Similar practice was already used during the European Parliament election campaign in Lithuania.
The meeting also addressed driving licenses for Belarusians in Lithuania. Mr. Kondratovič worked on this issue during his tenure at the Ministry of the Interior. The proposal to simplify the exchange of Belarusian licenses for Lithuanian ones for people residing in Lithuania on humanitarian grounds remains under consideration. The participants also discussed possible next steps, including the possibility of allowing other groups of Belarusians to take driving tests in Belarusian. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office continues to work with Lithuanian state institutions to find practical solutions.
Dzianis Kuchynski: “Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office continues to work with Lithuanian state institutions on issues that directly affect Belarusians in Lithuania. The aim of this cooperation is to turn contacts and agreements into practical solutions and opportunities for the Belarusian community”.
